Corrective foot support



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CORRECTIVE FOOT SUPPORT Filed Oct 19, 1956 W mm 2% m\ \l m m a V A .3 1. a N Mm 6 mm w S y m: y a m W Z A w I a u i E q. a N K I A A F A L s E a EL Arr-02mins.

above the surface engaged by the foot.

CORRECTIVE FOOT SUPPORT Lorraine A. Van Ostrom and Leila May Van Ostrom, Laguna Beach, Calif.

Application October 19, 1956, Serial No. 617,079

3 Claims. (Cl. 36-71) This invention relates to a corrective foot support intended to relieve strain on the nerves and muscles of the feet by properly distributing the weight sustained by the foot, and especially while walking.

Numerous foot supports have been designed in the past, some, for example, providing support primarily for the medial longitudinal arch, and some providing support for the cuboid bone. It is believed that foot supports heretofore devised are based upon improper anatomical analysis of the mechanics of foot operation, and that such supports actually contribute to foot discomfort.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved pad structure that assists in properly distributing the weight of the body to the appropriate foot bones and that assists in preventing callouses.

A healthy foot has a well-formed medial longitudinal arch. The foot area beneath this arch is intended to be The cuneiform and cuboid bones at this arch are intended primarily to act as a truss, transferring the load to the metatarsal bones. Providing supporting pads beneath the cuneiform bones at the posterior metatarsal arch may actually impair appropriate transmission of forces from the bones at. the rear of the foot to the metatarsal bones.

The foot, when walking, operates as follows: First, the posterior portion of the heel bone exerts a force against the heel of the shoe as the shoe contacts the ground; the foot then rocks about the heel or calcancus bone, and the cuboid bone at the lateral area of the foot causes the base of the fifth metatarsal bone to exert a force on the. sole of the shoe; thehead' of the fifth metatarsal bone seats fully; finally, the heads of :the fourth, third, second, and first metatarsal bones thenseat as the foot rolls slightly inwardly. The metatarsal bones serve as di-.

rect supports for the weight. The big toe then starts the succeedingstep as the heel is liftedotll-the ground.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide appropriate pad means for distributing the load over the lateral area of the shoe-engaging portions of the foot and over the metatarsal bones without detracting from the gripping action of the heads of these metatarsal bones.

Another object of the present invention is to incorporate in this structure a heel cushion designed to prevent shock on the bone structure and which also firmly seats the heel and prevents it from rolling. Thi cushion, together with the pad means, prevents the shoe lining from causing callouses along the lateral line of the foot and about the heel.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. This form will now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detail description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Patented Oct. 28, 1958 ice Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in longitudinal section, of a shoe in which a pad embodying the present invention is inserted;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the corrective foot support without its covering;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the corrective foot support, also shown without its covering;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the corrective foot support shown in Fig. 3 and taken along a plane indicated by line 44 of Fig. 3, the covering being illustrated, however, in Fig. 4;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the rear lateral portion of the foot support;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along a plane indicated by line 6-6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing. the relationship between the foot bones and the pad structure, the pad structure being shown in dotted lines.

A cushion 10, made of rubber or other elastic material, fits within a shoe 13. The cushion is enclosed within top and bottom covering elements 11 and 12 (Fig. 4). The covering elements 11 and 12. may be made of leather, fabric or suitable conformable. material. The edges of the covering elements 11 and 12 project beyond the cushion 10 and are adhered or joined together in any suitable manner, as by cementing, to enclose the cushion 10. The cushion 10 has a rear arcuate portion 14 conforming generally to the arcuate formation of the heel of the shoe 13.

One edge 15 of the cushion 10 and the corresponding parts of the covering elements 11 and 12 fall along the outer side of the shoe insole 16 (Fig. 1). The opposite edge 17 extends along the inner edge of the insole 16. The forward edge 18 of the cushionli) terminates at the pad area of the foot immediately beneath the head ends of the metatarsal bones. That portion of the shoe insole located forwardly of the cushion 10 is contacted by the toes without the interposition of the cushion 10.

The underside of the cushion 10 has affixed thereto a supplemental pad 19 made of sponge rubber, or the like, and having quite yielding characteristics. The first metatarsal bone is quite large and may carry almost all of the load. There is no structural reason Why the other metatarsal bones should not partially relieve the first metatarsal bone 26 and distribute the load more evenly for general comfort. The pad 19 provides for this result andenhances the load-bearing functions of the other metatarsal bones 22, 23, 24 and 25 (Fig. 7).

Qne edge of the pad 19 coincides with the medial portion of the cushion edge 15. The supplemental pad 19 extends partially, but not completely, across the pad 10, the forward portion of the pad 19 broadening at the area below the fifth, fourth, third and second metatarsal bones 22, 23, 24 and 25 (Fig. 7 The rear portion of the pad 19 narrows, as shown in Fig. 3, and extends rearwardly of the cuboid bone 20 (Fig. 7) to the lateral area'of the calcancus 21.

Those marginal portions of the pad 19, except along the cushion edge 15, are cut away on the under side of the pad so that the pad 19 tapers or diminishes in thickness from a line 19a along the area 19b to the edge 19c of the pad. The diminishing thickness of the pad ensures against serious discontinuities that tend to form callouses. The pad 19 is undiminished in thickness from the area beneath the cuboid bone 20 as well as at the area beneath the base of the fifth metatarsal bone 22. This provides cushioned support along the lateral area of the foot which engages heavily during walking. This area of the pad reduces furthermore the tendency for callouses to be produced along the discontinuity at the edge of the insole.

The first metatarsal bone 26, which is quite large, lies conveniently beyond the edge 190 of the pad 19.

The line 19a, defining the main portion of the pad 19, lies well rearwardly of the head ends of the second, third, fourth and fifth metatarsal bones 25, 24, 23 and22, and permits the foot at the head ends of these bones to contact the cushion without the interposition of the pad structure. The forward portion of the cushion 10 is tapered, as by being cut away on its under side from a line 10a for preventing a serious discontinuity at the end of the cushion 10.

The marginal tapering portion 19b of the pad 19 terminates at the pad area beneath the head ends of these metatarsal bones. Accordingly, the pad 19 provides downward slant of the metatarsal bones to enhance the gripping function of the head ends of these bones. Nevertheless, the shank portions of thesebones are caused to hear an added load, relieving some force from the head ends of these bones.

The outer edge 19c of the pad 19 clears the medial longitudinal arch extending generally at the area 27 and does not in any manner detractfrom the action of the cuneiform bones 28 in transferring the load from the talus bone 29 to the metatarsal bones 22 through 26.

Extending about the heel of the cushion 10, with one end adjoining and contiguous with the rear portion of the pad 19, is an arcuate heel cushion 30 made of sponge rubber, or the like. This arcuate cushion 30 forms a seat for the heel, limiting the transverse rolling movement of the heel. This, taken in combination with the cushioning function, materially reduces the tendency to create callouses around the arc of the heel.

The free terminus of the arcuate cushion 30, falling beneath the medial longitudinal arch, tapers, as at 31 (see also Fig. 6), in order to ensure that the bones at the medial longitudinal arch are not elevated.

By locating the pad 19 and the arcuate cushion 30 on the lower side of the cushion 10, the body of the cushion 10 assists in providing an upper surface free from discontinuities.

The action of the foot in walking is first to place the rear portion of the foot at the calcancus bone 21 in engagement with the arcuate cushion 30. The foot tilts about the rear point of the calcancus or heel bone-21, and the cuboid bone urges the foot at the base portion of the fifth metatarsal bone 22 toward the ground. The pad 19, extending along the lateral arch of the foot, cushions the impact of the foot.

The cuneiform bones 28 place the fourth, third, second and first metatarsal bones 23, 24, and 26 successively into operative position. The pad 19 appropriately elevates the base areas of the second, third and fourth metatarsal bones to ensure distribution of forces to these bones.

The head ends of the metatarsal bones are located beyond the pad 19, and the corresponding foot areas firmly seat themselves in the cushion 10. The forward edge of the pad 19 thus terminates in the mid-metatarsal shaft area. The cushion minimizes a formation of callouses at these pads.

By locating the pad 19 in the position described and by limiting its effective area, appropriate foot action is ensured. No interference at all results in the operation of the tarsal bones in transferring the load to the metatarsals.

By providing a cushion structure 10-19 of this character, not only are foot muscles relieved of tension, but the nerves in the foot are also protected. By providing an appropriate foot support, a general sense of well-being of the wearer is improved, especially since foot discomfort may create sacroiliac pain. The structure assists the normal action of the foot encountered in walking as the heel and then the toes are placed into operative position with relation to the ground. The heel cushion 30 prevents lateral roll of the heel portion of the foot and stabilizes the walking process.

The inventors claim:

1. A corrective foot support comprising a flexible and yieldable pad adapted to fit within a wearers shoe, said pad having a first portion formed to extend inwardly from the outside edge of the wearers foot to the second metatarsal bone and tapering rearwardly from the mid-metatarsal shaft area to an area under the cuboid bone, and merging with a second pad portion formed to extend arcuately from the rear of said first portion about the periphery of the wearers heel, thereby providing a continuous corrective-support for the lateral area of the wearers foot.

2. A corrective foot support as defined in claim 1, and further including a yieldable cushion overlying said pad and extending under the entire area of the wearers foot from the heel forwardly up to substantially the head end area of the metatarsal bones.

3. A corrective foot support as defined in claim 2, wherein the forward ends of both the pad and cushion are cut away on theirunder sides to provide forwardly tapering configurations.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,434,258 Burns Jan. 13, 1948 2,468,264 Katz Apr. 26, 1949 2,546,408 Riggs Mar. 27, 1951 2,585,692 Scholl Feb. 12, 1952 2,680,919 Riggs June 15, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 228,195 Switzerland Aug. 15, 1943 

